TIP OF THE DAY: Leftover Grains As A Soup Garnish

When we have leftover cooked grains—barley, bulgur, kasha, quinoa, rice, etc.—we start using them the next morning in breakfast omelets. By the time lunch comes, we’re ready to make grain salad. If we don’t have enough for a salad, we add the grains to soup. They can make quite a handsome garnish, and most grains…
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TRENDS: Restaurant Focus For 2015

No more waste: In restaurant kitchens, everything can have a second life. Citrus peel is turned into marmalade. Photo courtesy Lola Loves Green.   What are the top culinary concerns for restaurateurs this year? According to a survey by Nation’s Restaurant News, the top five focus on gluten-free and sustainability. 1. ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY Safeguarding natural…
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PRODUCT: Castelfranco Chicory

Californians are so lucky. Between the great growing climate and consumer demand for the best, local farmers grow produce not often seen in other parts of the country. Take this Castelfranco chicory, a joy to behold. The round, slightly open heads have pale green leaves that are speckled with burgundy red. A second cousin to…
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TIP OF THE DAY: Grilled Fish Garnish

Dorado (mahi-mahi), garnished with creamed spinach, toasted breadcrumbs and crabmeat. Photo courtesy Bonefish Grill.   You may be eating more grilled, pan-sautéed or poached fish for health or for Lent. But it doesn’t have to be dull. The photo at left shows “Dorado Rockefeller,” a riff on Oysters Rockefeller, which tops oysters with creamed spinach…
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TIP: Dip Sweet Chips On National Chip & Dip Day

[1] Cinnamon sweet potato chips with strawberry yogurt dip (both photos © Tablespoon.com). [2] Apple chips with a salted caramel dip. Photo © DizzyBusyAndHungry.com. Here’s the recipe.   March 23rd is National Chip and Dip Day. When we think of chips and dip, salty chips pop into mind, with creamy dips, guacamole or salsa. But…
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